Face Down
by Melantao
Summary: Kagome is in an abusive relationship with Inuyasha and is blinded by his empty promises and false love. She finds shelter with Inuyasha's older brother, Sesshomaru. SessxKag


AN: This was originally published 05-29-07 but I just finished revising it. I hope you, the reader, enjoy it.

Summary: Kagome is in an abusive relationship with Inuyasha but is blinded by his empty promises and false love. She finds shelter with Inuyasha's older brother, Sesshoumaru. Will she have the strength to walk away?

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the 'Face Down' lyrics.

* * *

_Hey girl you know you drive me crazy,  
one look puts the rhythm in my hand.  
Still I'll never understand why you hang around,  
I see what's going down._

Sesshoumaru looked up from his pile of papers upon hearing his office door swing open. Black tresses poked their way into the dimly lit room. Sesshoumaru knew it was his brother's girlfriend, Kagome, before she opened the door; she often paid him a visit. She entered the room with her head bowed, and slowly walked over to a small couch located a few feet from Sesshoumaru's mahogany desk. The only sound in the room was of Sesshoumaru's swift pen connecting with paper. The businessmen sliced the silence minutes later:

"Kagome, what are you doing here? It's nearly five in the afternoon, shouldn't Inuyasha be home?" He saw Kagome wince as he mentioned his brother's name. Pale eyebrows collided together in confusion.

"I told him I was going to get groceries. I was just around and thought…you know, I would drop by for a while. So, how is your day—," Kagome was cut short as Rin, Sesshoumaru's adopted daughter ran into the room.

"Kagome! I saw your car outside and I knew you were here! I'm so happy to see you!"

Rin jumped onto the couch, much to Sesshoumaru's disapproval, and went to hug Kagome. Rin's little arms reached around Kagome's waist for an intended hug. Immediately after contact Kagome gasped with obvious pain. Rin's eyes widened in horror and she looked down to see what she could have possibly done. A sliver of Kagome's stomach was visible, and instead of the normal pale hue, the women's stomach was a sickly blue shade. The little girl's fingers tried to reveal the discolored skin but Kagome quickly pulled down her shirt, hoping Sesshoumaru hadn't caught sight of it.

"Rin, leave," a curt command ordered the little girl. Rin looked over to Sesshoumaru with a silent plea but obediently left the room.

"Let me see it," Sesshoumaru commanded as he stood from his desk. Kagome stood also and pulled down on her shirt firmly. She edged towards the door but Sesshoumaru quickly blocked her path. She looked up into his golden eyes and wavered at their depth. A warmth coursed through her body and her pains were forgotten.

"Sesshoumaru, it's nothing. I bumped myself on the car a day or two ago. Clumsy."

Kagome gave a weak smile as she tried to go around him. He lightly grabbed her arm and she released a small gasp, almost inaudible. He quickly let go and made the assumption that she had been expecting much worse.

Cursing to herself, Kagome regretted her instinctive reaction. Of course Sesshoumaru had found out. Analyzing minor details were a specialty the taiyoukai had perfected early in life. It was foolish of her to believe that coming to his home repeatedly would not raise a red flag. She had not wanted him to find out of her abuse, she had merely wanted to feel the relief of safety for a couple of minutes before returning home to Inuyasha. Selfish actions had repercussions, of this she was sure, and now she assumed Sesshoumaru felt the need to handle this situation.

_Cover up with make up in the mirror ,  
tell yourself it's never gonna happen again.  
You cry alone and then he swears he loves you._

Sesshoumaru put a long finger underneath her chin and brought erect. Golden eyes stared intently into her soft brown ones. Her resolve was crumbling and a single tear had begun to run down her face. Sesshoumaru quickly removed the tear from her cheek. With the tear came quite a bit of make-up. When Sesshoumaru looked back at Kagome's face a bruise was revealed. She pushed him away and walked towards the door once more. She stopped when she heard his voice.

"Did Inuyasha do this to you?" Sesshoumaru whispered, the quiet room making it easy for her to hear. Instead of making eye contact with him Kagome looked down to the ground.

"No, but speaking of Inuyasha, I really should get back. He's probably worried. "

Sesshoumaru didn't turn to watch her leave. He had sensed her lies and a silent resolve took over him. Once he heard the muted 'click' of the door he returned to his desk chair. His face was barren of emotion, but his mind was reeling. It was dishonorable to physically harm your partner.

Inuyasha had always been brash, ignorant, and explosive with his emotions. Sesshoumaru had tried his best to impress upon Inuyasha proper etiquette, but no progress was ever made. Contact with his hanyou brother ceased and the relationship was bitter on both ends. Sesshoumaru refused to acknowledge Inuyasha's existence and become unaware with his half-brothers life. Inuyasha bragged indifference on the matter.

It wasn't until Rin made a connection with Kagome that Sesshoumaru heard news of Inuyasha.

Kagome was a substitute teacher at Rin's school; a job Inuyasha had barely allowed her to take on. A forgotten lesson book brought Sesshoumaru to his daughter's school one day, and directly into Kagome's temporary classroom. The brown-eyed miko seemed confused and slightly worried before she was able to determine that he was not Inuyasha. When Sesshoumaru announced himself Kagome was able to make the connection.

After their fated meeting, Kagome would bring Rin home after her schooling, allowing her bond with Sesshoumaru to grow. He was a silent friend in her lonely and strict world.

However, rigorous steps were taken for Inuyasha to stay unawares of her new friendship. Showers, perfumes, and harsh odors were used to cover up Sesshoumaru's scent. Fortunately, all of these precautions succeeded and allowed Kagome time with Inuyasha's brother.

It had been months since their first encounter, and Sesshoumaru was extracting every memory where the miko made an appearance. How had he not noticed this before? Had he simply over looked it? Sesshoumaru fumed to himself. He saw to end it.

Clawed fingers picked up a svelte phone from his desk. Sesshoumaru quickly punched in his half-brothers home phone number before raising it to his ear.

It rang twice before a gruff voice answered.

"_Hello? Who is this?"_

"I see you still have not managed to gain manners or respect. I believe by now you know who this is."

"_Why the fuck are you calling me?"_

"It's about Kagome."

"_What about her? You have no business asking about her!"_

"Oh, but I do, Inuyasha. It has come to my attention that you have been physically harming her. I'm not surprised, coming from a worthless hanyou of your mediocre upbringing. However, if I find out this is true, I will be obligated to eradicate you. Smearing the family name is unacceptable, especially from an uneducated and disrespectful hanyou like you." Sesshoumaru's words held so much promise of pain that Inuyasha was silenced for quite some time. It wasn't until a few minutes later that Inuyasha finally replied.

"_Keh, whatever. Don't call me again." _With that, he hung up.

* * *

Kagome entered the silver key into the doorknob and turned it with a flick of her wrist. She stumbled into the room, grocery bags nearly cutting off her circulation with their weight. She set the plastic bags down and heard the phone being hung up. Looking up made Kagome realize that Inuyasha was in the hallway and staring at her. She became rigid. What had she done now? What did he know?

"Sesshoumaru just called." Kagome stood frozen as Inuyasha's words hit her. It was unraveled. She braced herself for what she knew was coming. She wasn't left waiting.

_Do you feel like a man when you push her around?  
Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground?  
Well I'll tell you my friend, one day this world's going to end.  
As your lies crumble down,  
a new life she has found._

Kagome felt a shattering pain on her right cheek before her face collided with the ground. She had landed on a loaf of bread and a bag of chips, both crushed underneath her body weight. Cradling her stomach in harms served as her only way of protection. A swift kick to her already bruised stomach sent an explosion of color to enter her eyesight. Her vision became blotchy before it went out all together.

* * *

Kagome woke up in her bed. All of her senses returned to her in a flurry. Firstly, she felt a frigid cold on her cheek and stomach, knowing the feel of thawing steak all to well. The second sense she was able to register was the taste in her mouth. The metallic taste of her blood unnerved her. What other injuries had Inuyasha caused her after she passed out?

It wasn't long until Inuyasha entered the room, carrying a single flower. Sitting on her bedside table was a vase, leftover water still in it from the last flower she had received. Inuyasha carefully placed the rose into the crystal before sitting on the edge of Kagome's bed.

"Kagome, I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me. I was so mad; you know how he makes me so fucking mad! I…I love you Kagome, I hope you know that. I really didn't mean to hit you. Please forgive me. I'll let you rest." He got off her bed, causing it to become even once more, before stepping out of the room. Kagome immediately exhaled the breath she had been holding. Her mind was a battlefield. It always seemed like world war three was raging in her mind.

_A pebble in the water makes a ripple effect .  
Every action in this world will bear a consequence.  
If you wade around forever you will surely drown.  
I see what's going down._

Kagome walked out of the quiet house to take a midnight stroll, which was not unusual for the 20 year old. As the moon beat down on her hunched form she began to reminisce the years she spent with Inuyasha.

She smiled when her mind recalled the first time she met him. It had been two years ago and he had bumped into her in the hallway, he was the typical lost student. He offered to carry her books to her class, which she had gladly accepted. It was only a few days later before they were officially going out. It was months later before things began to get violent. Kagome's smile faded as the memory of the first abuse ensued.

Kagome had been talking to one of her ex-boyfriends. They had accidentally met in the library and were innocently catching-up on each other's lives. Kagome had no idea that Inuyasha had followed her there, or how possessive he was of her. He had so rudely butted into the two ex's conversation and he demanded her to return home, which she did. Once inside he had hit her furiously, demanding to know if she was planning on leaving him.

So many slide shows of violent memories flashed through Kagome's mind. Tears welled up in her eyes and she let them drop freely. Each horrible memory was followed closely by one of love and adoration, flowers and chocolate. Those memories made her heart feel like it was going to burst. But was the love worth it, worth the abuse? She couldn't decide, and it tore her apart.

How could her heart betray her so? Kagome's mind knew this was not what she deserved, or wanted. But her heart kept coming back for more.

She finally pivoted and started walking back to her house. Her eyes strayed occasionally to the parked cars along the side or the cement walkway. One car caught her interest. It was Inuyasha's car, but what further piqued her curiosity was that Inuyasha was _inside _the car. He wasn't alone; another women accompanied him. A woman that reminded Kagome a lot like herself.

Kagome stood frozen for a moment, the fear of getting caught unsettling her more than watching Inuyasha cheat on her. It took her a second before she took off at a dead run. She reached her house and ran into her room. Her eyes burned intensely as tears fought to fall. She held them back, not wanting to show weakness.

Slowly anger began to surface, overtaking any other emotion occupying her body. She looked over to the vase with a single flower. A bruised hand swatted at the vase and watched as it collided with the opposite wall. Her eyes glowed as the symbolic vase shattered into a million pieces. A new desire filled her body, one of hatred and revenge. She wasn't going to take this anymore. She decided to leave.

Kagome grabbed for something in her closet and pulled it out: a large suitcase. It was soon filled to the brim with clothing and all her needed possessions. She had very little; Inuyasha refused to allow her to buy anything with the money she earned. With all her things packed she exited out the back door.

Kagome got a mere five blocks away before her anger subsided and the realization that she had nowhere to go hit her. She mentally slapped herself. How could she be in such a blind rage? For a second she was reminded of Inuyasha, which caused her to gasp in weary pain. Where was she to go? Inuyasha had created a rift between her and her family. Most of her friends had moved away to attend college. She was alone.

Kagome looked around and noticed a bench, complete with a park scene. She walked over to it and carefully sat down. After a moment of thinking she finally reached a conclusion. Again, she mentally slapped herself at the simplicity of whom she could go to. She quickly picked up her bag and began to walk.

* * *

Sesshoumaru heard footsteps outside his large mansion. Long strides brought him to the front door; already aware of whom it was on the other side. The door swung openly evenly. Kagome stood in front of him, her balled hand raised in a knocking position. She opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. Instead she dropped her bag and threw herself into Sesshoumaru's arms.

Sesshoumaru cleared his throat, hoping to get Kagome to realize what she was doing. Kagome looked up at Sesshoumaru through blurry eyes, wondering if something was wrong. Sesshoumaru raised a perfect brow in question at the girl, then his eyes lowered to his person. Kagome's eyes followed and she immediately stepped back in embarrassment. Sesshoumaru was wearing cashmere swear pants. Everything above his waist was bare.

"Sorry, I…uhh," she stood there looking at Sesshoumaru's perfectly sculpted torse. Again, Sesshoumaru cleared his throat, this time hoping for an explanation. Kagome snapped out of her drooling trance and looked up at Sesshoumaru, her eyes quickly watering.

"Inuyasha…he is…cheating on me," Kagome shut her eyes angrily, hating herself for not being stronger. Had she cried when Inuyasha would get into an anger rage and throw her against the hallway? No, she stayed strong and that's what she had to do right now. She balled her fists and looked up to Sesshoumaru, a determined look now glinting in her eyes.

"I want him to pay for everything that he has put me through. Not just for cheating on me, but also for hitting me. Punching me! For all the accusations! Locking me in an emotional cage! Taking away my freedom! Killing…killing my baby!"

Kagome had crumbled. Her strong resolve had dissipated in front of her only friend. Revealing her deepest secret to Sesshoumaru was something Kagome wished she had never done. Conversations with Sesshoumaru were never meant to be heavy. He was her beacon of safety, her sanctuary. Kagome had never wanted the taiyouki to realize how bad things were between her and his half-brother. Judgment was sure to follow. The same questions her family asked her, "Why stay?" There was no answer she could give, because she herself didn't know why she stayed with Inuyasha.

All she wanted from Sesshoumaru was someone to run to when things seemed impossible, or when her heart and body still hurt from the abuse Inuyasha dealt her. But when she had healed, she would always return to the hanyou. Until the day he had forced an abortion on her.

Sesshoumaru stood there, his eyes glazed with hatred. He knew his brother made horrible decisions sometimes, but Inuyasha had gone overboard. Kagome had crumpled into a broken mess on the floor. Her weight settled uncomfortably on her kneeling knees, but she was unable to feel. The suppressed memory of her abortion surfaced and misery overtook the young miko.

Sesshoumaru quietly picked Kagome up and carried her to a spare bedroom, not far from his own. In the room was a large bed, already made. He set her weary body in between the sheets and stepped away from her. Her eyes, full of gratitude, followed his person.

"When did Inuyasha force you to rid of your baby?" Kagome looked away, a lost look in her eyes. When she spoke it was as if she wasn't speaking at all. Her voice was distant and her eyes looked blank.

_I see the way you go and say your right again,  
say your right again .  
Heed my lecture_

"My abortion appointment was two weeks ago. When I told him I was pregnant I thought he would be so happy; I always wanted a baby. He wasn't happy. He was furious. He slapped me. That is the bruise you saw yesterday. Right away he demanded that I get an abortion. I said that it was the wrong thing to do. I didn't want to, I really didn't. But he said that it was the right thing to do and that if I didn't go to the appointment that he was...he was going to kill it himself!" Kagome held her face in her hands, her words broken by her tears. Sesshoumaru didn't know what to say, but he knew what he wanted to do. He wanted to rid the world of Inuyasha.

"Kagome, I promise Inuyasha will harm you no more. I also promise you that you will get your revenge." With that he turned from her and as he walked out the door he heard a silent 'Thank You.' He stopped briefly, the only sign he heard her, before stepping out of the room.

_Do you feel like a man when you push her around?  
Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground?  
Well I'll tell you my friend, one day this world's going to end.  
As your lies crumble down  
a new life she has._

Sesshoumaru woke with a start. His golden eyes wandered over to the window in his room and noticed it was still dark. Why had he awakened? Then his nose pricked with a familiar smell. _Inuyasha. _Sesshoumaru flew out of his warm bed, nearly broke down his door and quickly sprinted to Kagome's room. Inuyasha had just entered her room, via window, and was about to lunge himself at her. Sesshoumaru deflected his attack and nearly threw him across the room. Kagome jumped in her bed and sat up, wondering what had just broke. Her eyes widened with fear as she saw Inuyasha recovering from Sesshoumaru's blow.

"Kagome! What the hell are you doing here? What did Sesshoumaru tell you?" Sesshoumaru was about to attack Inuyasha but Kagome yelled, "Wait!"

Sesshoumaru fumed. This young miko confused him. Was she really about to return to his worthless half-brother? Her loyalty was admirable, and a quality he admired, but it was completely misguided. Over the months when their rare meetings took place Sesshoumaru had taken a grudging liking to Kagome. No matter the circumstances, she survived. She always looked at life with a smile on her face. He would not allow her to return to Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru was about to launch an attack on his half-brother when her words stopped him once more.

"Inuyasha, you lied to me so many times. I thought you loved me? How could you cheat on me?" Kagome's voice reached a shrill tone. Her eyes bore into Inuyasha, almost like she was trying to see through him and understand where his actions came from.

Inuyasha just stood there, shocked at her words. It was evident that he had no idea she knew of his infidelity. "Kagome, I DO love you. Kikyou, she came on to me. I swear…I need you to forgive me. I need you to love me and stay with me!"

_One day she will tell you that she has had enough.  
Its coming round again.  
Its coming round again._

Kagome walked over to Inuyasha and got straight in his face. She smiled at him, and she gave every indication that she had forgiven him. Inuyasha opened up his arms, intending to give her a hug, but instead Kagome slapped his face.

"I've had enough of your lies, Inuyasha! All you ever do is lie to me!"

_Do you feel like a man, when you push her around?  
Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground?  
Well I'll tell you my friend, one day this world's going to end .  
As your lies crumble down  
a new life she has._

Inuyasha righted his face and stared down at her. "You aren't leaving me." The statement was followed with her silence. Inuyasha's solid fist connected with her pale skin for a brief moment before being cut short. Nonetheless, her body hit the ground with a loud thud. She held back the tears as she heaved her body up with her arms.

_Face down in the dirt she says, this doesn't hurt,  
She says I've finally had enough..  
Face down in the dirt she says, this doesn't hurt,  
She says I've finally had enough.._

She bit her lip, forcing herself not to cry. She was not going to waste another tear over Inuyasha. When she finally got over the initial pain she looked at Inuyasha, who was now nearly knocked out across the room, courtesy of Sesshoumaru. Kagome got up and grasped Sesshoumaru's raised hand.

She bent down so she was eye level with Inuyasha and spoke slowly and with confidence, "We are over. I've had enough."

With that she got up and looked up at Sesshoumaru, he gave Inuyasha a swift kick to the head, releasing him into darkness.

Kagome lunged into Sesshoumaru's arm, comforted by his warm grip. When she finally loosened her grip she looked up into his eyes. Her proximity was foreign, but not unwelcome.

"Everything will be ok," Sesshoumaru said with a reassuring voice.

"I know that now."

* * *

I still think it had a corny ending, but I refuse to change it. I like corny, happy, over-rated endings. I think this is a great improvement from the first edition. I hope you out there think so too! Please drop a line. You could say one word and I would be overjoyed!

-Mel


End file.
